MENASHA - An expansion and renovation at LEAVEN will give the nonprofit's clients the ability to access services in one place.

"In addition to providing financial assistance, we've also always been a referral organization," LEAVEN Executive Director Mary Parsons said after a groundbreaking Wednesday afternoon. "LEAVEN has been referred to as the financial emergency room. We say we apply the Band-Aid, stop the bleeding and then connect our clients with other resources in the community."

But the organization found clients were not making those connections for various reasons, including time, issues with transportation and child care. In addition, some felt shame, fear and embarrassment for having to tell their story over and over, she said.

That meant clients didn't get the services they needed to address the root causes of their poverty, Parsons told those gathered for the groundbreaking.

Households in the midst of a financial crisis are focused on immediate needs, she said.

The organization helps people in the midst of financial crisis by providing financial assistance, referrals and case management.

LEAVEN serves about 7,000 households each year, she said. Ninety percent of its assistance goes to housing and utilities — with the goal of stabilizing households so people can stay in their homes and not fall deeper into poverty.

For about a year, LEAVEN, or Limited Emergency Assistance Valley Ecumenical Network, has been piloting a one-source resource model. She said they've seen clients make connections for services like enrolling for public benefits and getting legal issues addressed.

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Community leaders broke ground on a new LEAVEN building Wednesday in Menasha.(Photo11: Alison Dirr/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin)

"Expanding the building allows us to provide more resources, greater support, easier access to help our clients connect with our solutions," Parsons said.

The expanded building will be renamed the LEAVEN Community Resource Center, a reflection of the community partners that will be housed in the facility.

The goal is to help clients move from crisis management to self-sufficiency, said LEAVEN Board President Rick Stach. When it's completed, the resource center will connect people with educational resources, mental health consulting, financial counseling, public benefits, legal assistance, mentoring and other services that will help them reach their potential, he said.

They'll also have a new database that will track clients' initiation, follow up and outcomes of referrals.

Construction is expected to take about six months, Parsons said. They're hoping the community resource center will be up and running by June 1, hopefully earlier.

The existing building will also be renovated.

LEAVEN will continue serving clients during construction.

"As an emergency service provider, we cannot be down for any length of time," she said.

There was a $1 million capital campaign goal and it didn't take long to raise that amount, Parsons said.

Menasha Mayor Don Merkes said food, shelter, work, education and health are all fundamental to a community, and organizations like LEAVEN help fill those needs.

"What's remarkable about LEAVEN and their mission is they fulfill both short-term emergency needs and work in partnership with other nonprofits to address long-term independence and self-sufficiency," he told the gathering.